Great Train Adventure '08 (Part Four)

My favorite part of our visit to Kingston, Ontario, was our drunken playtime and ghost hunting at Skeleton Park, after a night of hopping from pub to pub. I love ghost stories, and this park has some of the best. After hearing all the stories about children finding bones while playing in the playground, and people in the neighborhood running into a very angry ghost that tried to stab them before he disappeared, I was determined to be scared shitless, so I could have my own story to tell.

Alas, nothing too creepy happened. I left the boys, as they tried to dig up pieces of old tombstones, and wandered around like a crazy person with my camera, asking nicely for the dead people to smile and say cheese. I took about 40-50 photos that night in the park. I was thrilled when there were a handful of photos that were somewhat mysterious, with blobs/orbs and smoke in them, that I could not explain for the life of me, even after the boys gave me some very logical explanations, which boys tend to do, because they aren't much fun when it comes to ghost hunting. (All I know is, that if there was something on my camera lense, then ALL of the photos should have had these weird things in them, not just a few.)

Draggin' their feet, diggin' for bones.

Creepy pillar of "smoke". I apologize for the poor upload quality.

Who knows, maybe there were ghosts there with us, maybe there weren't. I think they were. Skeleton Park didn't scare me, and I was a tad disappointed. I wanted that adrenaline rush. However, once we hit the Ottawa Jail a few days later, I learned just how scary dead people, and history can be, and was wishing that I was back in uneventful Skeleton Park.

Crazy Bitch

I have mental problems. This is a self-diagnosis, mind you, but I believe it to be true.

I don't know what's up with me lately. Nothing seems to make me uber-happy or excited, and when I am feeling "up", I am constantly wondering when I'm going to start feeling down. I am ruining genuine, happy and scrappy moments, because of this gigantic raincloud over my head.

Maybe it's the rainy weather, or maybe it's the fact that I haven't been spending loads of time drinking beer in the sunshine like I did previous years, but I just don't have that summer joy running through my veins, as I usually do this time of year.

I spend all my time at home, or at work. I have acquired an incredibly dull morning routine at home, and actually pray that I will get called in to work most mornings, just for something different.

I normally enjoy being alone, to a certain extent. I think the current problem is though, that I've run out of things to do to fill my time. Everybody else works during the day, so they're busy. I have had limited computer access, it's too rainy to go for walks, and I've run out of ideas and motivation when it comes to cleaning, decorating and organizing the apartment. In the end, I wake up, make coffee, watch "What Not to Wear", followed by "Law & Order", eat lunch, wash dishes, have a cry, and play with the bunny as much as possible before he gets sent away. Sometimes, I shower, but only on those special days. Usually those are the days when the phone rings, and it is actually for me. I live the rock and roll lifestyle, yes I do.

I feel "out of the loop", lonely and bored the majority of the time, and don't even really care to do much about it. Sure, I could leave the house, and search out some familiar faces, but it's raining, and I'm broke, and the last few times I have ventured out, it's been the same ol' gossip and conversations, and I just end up getting tanked and saying something rude, just to change the subject. Which in turn makes me feel foolish, and I decide that maybe I shouldn't be out in public anyways. The shitty thing is though, that no money + no pub = no friends. And that's sad on a couple different levels.

Listen to me whine. Sheesh. Slap me if you feel like it, I won't blame you.

Things aren't really that bad. They sure as hell have been worse. And I'm not alone, I have the best boyfriend this girl could ever ask for, who is actually putting up with this mood, and doing his best to make it all okay.

It's just a funk, I hope. I'm sure once the sun comes back, and the annual camping trip draws near, and I get to keep some of my hard-earned money for once, things will start looking up, and I'll start cheering up.

The Great Train Adventure of '08 (Part Three)

We left The City in flip-flops and t-shirts on April 21st,  and by the time we arrived in ToonTown two hours later, there was a blizzard so bad that we couldn't even see, and I had to dig for shoes that actually covered my feet for fear of frostbite. Luckily, by the time we got to Toronto on the 23rd, it was hot and sunny and there wasn't a flake of snow to be found.

We spent our first two days of holidays just wandering around Toronto. We must have walked about 16 hours a day. We visited a couple friends of Smyrish, and just went with the flow. No plans, nowhere to be, just enjoyed being away. My feet were killing me, but I just loved being out in the sun, and it was a trip, taking in the view of high-rises, running businessmen on Bay Street, and homeless people sleeping on grates to keep warm. By the time we left, I really had to wonder if maybe Canada should take a break from helping in other countries, and do something about our own. 

After our 2 days in Toronto, we hopped back on the train and headed to Kingston to visit our friend Hobbsley. Soon after we arrived at his apartment, we cleaned ourselves up, and he whisked us away to a Law School BBQ before taking us on a very nice tour of the city, telling us all about it's history, stopping in at many pubs along the way. We were good and slammered by the time we made our way to Skeleton Park to look for bones, grave markers and ghosts, the latter of which I swear that I caught on a couple shots on my digital camera. 

The next day, we were hungover beyond belief. That Hobbsley sure can party. We didn't get up to much, other than some more wandering, coffee and Scrabble, and pints, as I awoke with evidence that at some point the day before, I had sprained my ankle, but was obviously too drunk to remember when or how I did it. Thankfully, Hobbsley had a tensor bandage, to keep my ankle in place as we wandered on down to the ferry for a ride that night.

The next morning, we said our goodbye's to Hobbsley and headed back to the train station, and were on our way to grand ol' Montreal.

* I will post photos as soon as I learn how to work this darn computer!

Great Train Adventure '08 (Part Deux)

Although I don't necessarily feel old, my body is starting to get a bit too old to be sleeping in uncomfortable seats, benches and on cold train station floors, or so it tells me. By the time we were sitting on the train to Montreal, after our visits in Toronto and Kingston, I also learned that sitting for long periods of time with no way to put my feet up, was also hard on my body. I am not as flexible as I once was, and walking in flip-flops for 16 hours a day actually hurts my feet, and does a number on my ankles and back. Who'd a thunk it? Not this chickadee.

Other than some uncomfortable nights, the train was wonderful as usual. I love to just sit back with my headphones on, a book on my lap, and take in the Canadian scenery. It's like nothing else. To have Smyrish with me, made it all the more wonderful. It was so nice to have someone to share the experience with, especially when it wasn't so good, and the time passed more quickly, what with having someone to talk to, play Scrabble with and whatnot.

Singin' on the Train

We were both dreading the train ride home from Longlac to ToonTown. We had been very lucky in scoring good seats on our entire trip, but our luck ran out in the last couple days, when we became just two of the many cramped travellers in comfort class. We didn't sleep much, but we did spend the last of our money on beer in the bar car, laughing and talking to strangers and singing to the banjo and mandolin music that Eliza brought with her. It was a glorious way to end a holiday.

Great Train Adventure '08 (Part One)

I'm back! How is everyone? Everything okay? Anything new and interesting going on that I should know about?

We had a great little holiday. There were a few little bumps in the road, some grouchy moments, and the weather wasn't always so nice to us, but overall, it was a blast! I wasn't exactly thrilled to come home, knowing that I had to move out of the House of Pain, go back to work, and deal with other people's drama upon my return, but so far, it's been okay. I've been packing and moving since I returned yesterday at 7:00 am (after driving all night, sheesh!), and tonight Smyrish and I are heading out to a different pub to get sloshed and do some visiting with friends, and maybe after a few drinks, I'll have the guts to head to Ye Olde Regular Pub.

And on that note, I must head over to the new apartment for some leftover pizza, as I have packed all my food, and unload the boxes in my car. But don't fret, I'll post again soon with tales of our adventures in Eastern Canada.

Cheers!

See You Soon!!!

Since I will be gone (and I just know you'll all miss me), and I most likely won't be updating until I get back (with many wonderful tales of The Great Canadian Train Excursion of '08) due to limited InterWeb access, and a hate I can't explain for most internet cafe's, I am leaving you with this run-on sentence, some links to posts by other bloggers, and sites I think you should check out, in my absence, 'cause they are A-OK.

Enjoy!!!!

Dangerous Toys: Dangerous, or Just Toys? - from {redacted}

Fat Free Vegan Recipes

Drinking Games - by the Webtender

Easy Cheeseball - via allrecipes.com

Laundromats - by Smyrish

A Post About Nothing - from Pop Culture Sculpture

Gotta Remind Myself - by Jonesalicious

Feel the Bra - via Citizen of the Month

It Makes me Feel Like a Kid Again - by the Nervous Axon

A Cup of Coffee - by The Palinode

Byokal - via zefrank